Apparatus for assembling open retaining rings on grooved shafts, pins or the like



2 Shets-Sheet 1 March 29, 1960 H. ERDMANN V APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLINGOPEN RETAINING RINGS ON GROOVED SHAFTS, PINS OR THE LIKE Flled March 1,1957 INVE'NTOR HANS ERDMANN ATTORNEY H. APPARATUS FOR ASSEM March 29,1960 ERDMANN 2,930,114

BLING OPEN RETAINING RINGS ON GROOVED SHAFTS. PINS OR THE LIKE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1, 1957 R m N m .M V A m M D R E s M Y Q H rw/// //////////////v mw mm \N .9 S 5 .2

ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING RETAIN- ING RINGS N GROOVED SHAFTS,PINS OR THE LIKE {Hans Erdmann, Maplewood, NJ.. assignor to WaldesKohinoor, Inc., Long Island, N.Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationMarch 1, 1957, Serial No. 643,383

6 Claims. (Cl. 29-229) plicator) employed in the prior ring dispensingand ap-' plying tools usually comprised a blade-like member terminatingat its free or workingjend in a pair of resiliently connected spreadablearcuate jaws'which together define a substantially semi-circular cut-outfor receiving the endmost ring of the ring stack and gripping it withsub-' stantial force about its outer periphery. While such a resilientjaw-type applicator operates very satisfactorily with the small andmediurn'sized rings, his not well suited to the larger rings because theforce required to effectively grip the latter along their peripheraledges and to press same against the bottom of their grooves is too greatfor easy control of these large rings.

Accordingly, a main object of the invention is the provision of a novelretaining ring applicator blade for use in a combination ring dispensingand applying tool of the stated character, Whose constructionandarrangement is such that it is. particularly effective for use with Vthe larger-size rings while at the same time his also use ful inconnection with either or both the smaller and medium sized rings. t V

More particularly, the invention contemplates and, aims to provide anapplicator blade 'as aforesaid having rigid rather than resilient-jawconstruction, and which at the same time is "so constructed, andarranged that itswor-k- 'ing end is adapted when actuated radiallytoward the shaft or pin on which ring assembly is to be effected to icemovement toward and away from the workpiece, and by simple yet efiectivemeans for actuating catorsin unison. v

The above and other. objects and advantages of 3 an improved combinationretaining ring dispensing and 'ap' plying tool and an improvedapplicator blade therefor according to the present invention will appearfrom the following detailed description, in which reference is bad tothe accompanying illustrative drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the improveddispenser-applicator of the invention, with the applicator bladesintheir retracted or inactive position; Fig. 2 is a similar view butillustrating the applicator blades in the position which they occupywhen they have just completed simultaneous assembly of apair ofretaining rings in the spaced grooves of shaft, pin or the like; and VFig. 3 is a broken-away perspective view showing the constructionaldetails of the free or w orking end of an improved rigid applicatorbladeas herein proposed. ,7 Referring to the drawings, the inventionwill be deaworkpiece such as a scribed inconnection with a pluralapplicator-blade type of combination ring dispensing and applying tool,wherein two applicator blades are disposed generally parallel to oneanother and'symmetrically to the sides of a vertical center line andwith their working ends directed downwardly, and which furtherincorporates manually-actuabie means for reciprocatingsaid applicatorblade in 'un'ison toward and away from a workpiece. Such a tool isillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 wherein reference numeral 10 designates arelatively elongated fiatbase member mountn its entra p r uprightstandard. -.1 s best seen in Fig. 2, an operating lever 12 is pivotallyconnected at its one end as by a horizontal pivot pin 13 to anupperpoint on the standard whereby it may swing Fina. vertical plane disposedforwardly of said standard.

Qonnectedto said operating lever at a point thereof. close "to itspivotal end connection with the standard is 'a gen- "angular motionresults in positive raising and lowering of the cross head 15.

At its outer ends, the base 10 mounts a pair of pivot blocks 17, 18serving as fulcrums for the outer ends of straddle thesame as withtheprior resilient-jaw'appli- I tenor; and that is is moreover capableofacicommodating vide an improved applicator of a fypeflending itself.for

use in a combination retaining ring dispensing and. apply-.

ing tool designed to .mount a pair of such applicators, and which is soconstructed and arranged as to make ,pos-

'sible the simultaneous assembly of two retaining rings in' spacedgrooves of a shaft, pin or similar workpiece.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of an improvedcombination ring dispensing and applyingitool employing two applicatorblades as aforesaid,

characterized in that the applicators are mounted for a pair ofswing'bars 20, 21 which incline upwardly and inwardly towards oneanother. At their corresponding inner ends, the aforesaid swing bars areconnected to fthe'outer ends of the cross head 15 as by pin and slotconnections 22a, 22b, and accordingly the swing bars can move towardsand away from one another in unison upon" lowering and raising movementbeing applied to the cross head. Secured flush to the opposite verticalfaces of said swing bars 20, '21 as by welding is a pair of platebrackets '23, 24 which illustratively have roughly right triangularformation and are arranged with their respective bases disposed :inadjacency and in spaced parallel relation with respect to one another,and syrnmetrically to the sides of the vertical centerline of the toolwhich extends through the upright standard 11;. A

pair. of applicator blades 25,. 26,. hereinafter to be described indetail, are secured to base-line flanges provided directed downwardly.

As seen in Fig. l, the applicator. blades 25, 2 6'are normallymaintained in their raised or inactive position (as by spring means notshown) above a workpiece supportingfixture which, as shown,comprisesamoun irg block 28 and a vise 29 supported on the, top entreePiaten'ted Mar. 29, 199

the two applia V, 3 thereof, said vise being adapted to secure aworkpiece such as a shaft or pin S having similar groove g at the endsthereof, in a fixed horizontal position in which the grooves aredisposed below the respective working ends of the applicators and in thepath of their downward movement. Hence, it will be seen that actuationof the operating lever 12 in downward direction via the connecting rod14, cross head 15, and swing bars 20, 21 causes the aforesaid applicatormounting brackets 23, 24 to swing towards one another in verticallydescending arcs, as in turn effects lowering movement of the applicatorblades on to the workpiece S.

Secured to lower-edge U-flanges provided on each of the brackets 23, 24is a pair of stack rods 32 serving to .maintain a supply of theretaining rings R to be assembled in stack formation, said stack rodsthus extending substantially horizontally and outwardly from theapplicator blades 25, 26. Preferably, each stack rod 32 comprises aspring strip or rail of width corresponding to the inner- 'edge diameterof said retaining rings which, as illustrated in Fig. 3, are of the opentype usually provided with a middle and two end lugs or protrusions.Such rings may accordingly be threaded onto a stack rod 32 for movementtherealong but are normally restrained against separation from the stackrod by the hold-on engagement which the inner edges of the end lugsexercize on said stack rod as illustrated. It will also be seen that theend portion of each stack rod 32 adjacent its applicator blade is freeof any connection either with the edge of its carrying bracket (whichlatter is relieved or cut away as shown) or with the applicator blade.Thus, by properly predetermining the length of the stack rod, its freeend may fiex in upward direction to its 'Fig. 2 position as will belater explained.

To insure a positive feed of the rings R disposed on the stack rods totheir associated applicator blades, each stack rod is provided with aslide block 34 which is biased to move in ring-feeding direction byspring means contained in a wind-up reel 35 for a length of tape 36connected to the slide block. Both the aforesaid stack rod mounting andring feed means are similar to that employed in a form of combinationring dispensing and applying means disclosed and claimed in my copendingapplication Serial No. 538,041, filed October 3, 1955, now abandoned.

Now considering the novel applicator blade construction of the presentinvention, reference is had to Fig. 3 illustrating the working endthereof on a greatly enlarged scale. It will be seen therefrom that, asdistinguished from the prior resilient-jaw type of applicator bladeconventionally used heretofore, the working end of the presentapplicator blade is of rigid construction throughout. More particularly,its working end is provided in its end edge with a simple cut-out 40having a semi-circular closed end of width substantially equal to thatof the diameter of the shaft or pin on which ring assembly is to beeffected. Said working end is also formed with a deep recess 41countersunk into its relatively upper face and which extends about saidcut-out 40, and with a communicating shallow recess 42, of which thedeep recess like the cut-out 40 opens through the end edge of the blade,and the shallow recess is set back from the deep recess, being separatedtherefrom by a semi-circular step or shoulder 43, of heightcorresponding to the axial thickness of a single ring R. Since theapplicator blade is of rigid construction, the width of both recesses41,42 is made slightly larger than that of the outer-edge-diameter of therings R and it accordingly follows'that the diameter of thesemi-circular are on which the step 43 extends corresponds substantiallyto the diameter of said rings R.

Thus, when seated in the deep recess 41 and with its open end or gapfacing in the same direction as the applicator cut-out 40, the outeredge of said ring fits more or less closely against the step 43throughout an arc of approxima y a 2,9so,114

.4 In the normal raised or retracted position of the applicator blades,the cut-out 40 and the deep recess 41 of each are aligned with the freeend of the associated stack rod. Accordingly, the endmost ring R of thering stack maintained on the corresponding stack rod 32 disposes itselfin recess 41 in assembly-ready position therein, being held against thefloor of said recess by the force of the spring acting on the slideblock 34. At this point it is explained that the length of each stackrod is such that its free end is spaced from the bottom of the aligningrecess 41 a distance which is slightly greater than the axial thicknessof a single ring, and hence slightly greater also than the height of thestep 43. This means that the endmost ring of the stack rod may flexrearwardly to its Fig. 2 position without carrying said endmost ringwith it and also without interference either by the step 43 between therecesses 41, 42 or the floor of the shallow recess 42. Finally, it willbe understood that a degree of flexing of the stack rod enabling itsfree end to move into alignment with the shallow recess 42 is intendedand provided for: in the design of the tool.

It will be observed from Fig. 3 that the sides of the applicator bladeswhich define the common side walls 45, 46 of the aforesaid ring recesses41, 42 extend straightway from substantially the rearward end of therecess structure to points adjacent the front end edge of the applicatorblade. These side walls serve the important function of maintaining thenext endmost and immediately adjacent rings of the stack thereof mountedon the stack rod in proper alignment as the stack rod flexes rearwardlyand thence forwardly with each movement of the applicator against andaway from a grooved shaft on which ring assembly is being effected. Ringalignment as aforesaid is most advisable since it insures that said nextendmost ring of the stack always moves with certainty into the forward,shallow recess 41 asthe stack rod returns to its normal positionfollowing each ring transfer or assembly operation, thus to conditionthe device for the next ring assembly operation.

From said aforesaid forward points, said recess sidewalls 45, 46 curveinwardly so asto provide inward projections or lips 47, 48 which reachtowards one another yet are spaced at least the width of the cut-out 40,thus to enable the working end of said blade to straddle the shaft inthe assembly operations as aforesaid. However, rather than extending allthe way to the floor of said deep recess 41, the inward projections orlips 47, 48 are undercut with slots 47a, 48a which together provide achannel through the lips of depth corresponding to the axial thicknessof one ring and which is aligned with the ring cavity of said recess 41.Thus, the endmost ring of the stack contained in the recess 41 andseating against the floor thereof may move through the channel just asif the aforesaid projecting lips 47, 48 were not present. However,should the next adjacent ring somehow free itself from the stack rod,for example, consequent to the effective shortening of the stack rod asit flexes rearwardly, and become stuck by friction or otherwise to saidendmost ring, said lips 47, 48 come into play and positively prevent thestuck-on ring from moving out of the recess 41 with the endmost ring andperhaps jamming in the shaft groove. This feature is of particularadvantage in insuring against accidental disarrangement of one or moreof the endmost rings in the recess structure, and also in insuring thatan applicator blade can be freely backed off the shaft followingcompletion of the assembly of the endmost ring of the stack in itsgroove.

While the operation of a combination ring dispensing and applying toolemploying two rigid applicator blades as aforesaid will doubtless beclear from the above description, its operation is briefly stated to beas follows: Normally, the applicator blades 25, 26 are maintained intheir raised or retracted position shown in Fig. 1.

In such position, the two endmost retaining rings R of 5 the stacksthereof on the stack rods 32 are held .in' their assembly-readinesspositions, vbeing; pressedmore or less tightly by spring pressureagainst thefloors of the cor responding applicator recesses 41. Assumingthat a workpiece S has been properly mounted in and secured by the vise2 9, downward pressure on the handle end of the operating lever 12,acting through connecting rod 14, cross head 15, swing bars 20, 21 andbrackets 23, 24, effects downwardmoyement of said applicator blades inunison to-their Fig. 2 position. Consequent. to such movement, theblades, by pressure applied to said. end: most rings in their respectiveplanes through the steps -43, simultaneously press said rings into'thetwo spaced workpiece grooves g. ,During the course of the 'afore-.

said blade lowering movement, the rings of the stack next adjacent said,endmost rings retract into the shallow recesses 42 of the applicatorblades as..perrnitted by the flexibility of the end portion of the stackrods, wherein they are supported on thevfloor of said recess, and thusthe next higher rings of the stack in no wise interfere withapplicator-blade lowering movement. Following seating of the endmostrings in the grooves as completes their assembly with the workpiece, theapplicator blades and associated parts return to their Fig. 1 positionunder the urge of retracting springs (not shown). Since the ringchannels provided by the slots 47a, 48a' of each blade protect againstmore than one ring being acted on by a blade during any one assemblyoperation, the applicator blades are enabled to freely back off from theworkpiece without any possibility of this retracting movement beingimpeded as. by a second ring secured by friction or jamming to' theassembled ring. As the parts retract to their normal positions asaforesaid, the rings which have moved on to thefloor of the shallowerrecesses 42 of the applicator blades consequent to flexing of the stackrods move back into alignment with the deep recesses 41thereon-whereupon the next endmost ring of the stacks moves into saidrecesses under the bias of the spring means effective on the slideblocks 34 and assume assembly-readiness position therein, the tool thusautomatically conditioning itself for the next assembly operation. g

The above described tool and applicator blade constructions have beenfound to satisfythe objectives of the invention as explained in theforegoing in able and effective manner. However, as many changes couldbe be made in carrying out the above constructions without departingfrom the scope of the invention, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim: t

1. In a combined retaining ring dispensing and applying tool forassembling open retaining rings on grooved shafts, pins and the like,the combination of a mounting member, a stack rod for holding aplurality of the rings to be assembled in stack formation comprising anelongated spring rail immovably secured at its one end to said mountingmember and being free of securement at its other end whereby said freeand may flex a limited amount from and to its normal position, anapplicator blade immovably affixed to said mounting member and beingdisposed adjacent to and substantially at a right angle to the free'endof said stack rod and having a working end of rigid constructionthroughout, said working end being provided with a shaft accommodatingcut-out which opens through its free end edge and has width slightlygreater than the diameter of said shaft thereby enabling said workingend to fork a shaft on which ring assembly is to be effected, saidworking end having in its face disposed towards said stack rod first-andsecond ring recesses, of which said second recess is set back from saidfirst recess and the latter is deeper than said second recess and isseparated therefrom by a step of height substantially equal to the axialthickness of'a single retaining ring and which serves as aring:push-shoulder,lsaid first recess extending along the closed end ofthe cut-out and similarly opening through the free endedge. of saidworkingend, the free end of said stack rod terminating short of thefloor of said first recess a distance substantially equal to theheight'of the step, said working end of the applicator :blade alsoincluding ring-aligning'means for maintaining alignment of the rings ofthe stack next adjacent the endmost ring when the free end of the stackrodis flexed rearwardly with movement of the applicator blade againsttheshaft, means urging the rings of the stack towards the applicatorblade thereby normally topress the endmost ring of the stack to anassemblyereadiness position against I the floor of said first recess andsimilarly to press the next endmost ring against the floor of the secondrecess when said latter ring is shifted thereinto with rearward flexingof the free end of the stack rod as aforesaid, and means for actuatingsaid mounting member and thereby the applicator blade bodily toward andaway from said shaft,.the construction and arrangement being such thatin moving toward said shaft the applicator blade, operating through saidstep, pushes the endmost ring in the assembly-readiness position in thefirst recess into the shaft groove and simultaneously effects a shift ofthe next endmost and the immediately adjacent rings on the stack rodinto the second recess while maintaining proper alignment of said nextendmost ring with the first recess as insures said next endmostringmoving into said assembly-readiness position in the first recess whenthe applicator blade isretracted from said shaft.

2. The structure substantially as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the working end of the applicator blade terminates forwardly ininwardly directed lips which are spaced from one another a distance lessthan the diameterof the retaining rings being assembled and are furtherspaced above the floor of said firstrecess a distance slightly greaterthan the axial thickness of one of said rings thereby to provide aring-opening in the lips through a which but a single ring may move fromsaid first recess during the course of each ring, assembly operation.

3. The structure substantially as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidring aligning means comprises rearwardly extending, parallel, uprightside walls disposed along the side edges of the working end of saidapplicator blade and defining the side walls of said recesses, saidsidewalls being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to'thediameter of the retaining rings received in and moving through saidrecesses.

4. For use in assembling spring retaining rings in the grooves of shaftsand the like, an applicator comprising a blade-like member having arigid working end provided with a shaft-receiving cut-out in its endedge of width slightly larger than the diameter of the shaft on whichring assembly is to be effected, said working end being provided in oneface thereof with two communicating ring-receiving recesses of widthslightly greater than the diameter of the rings to be assembled andalong its side edges with parallel upright walls defining the sidewallsof the recesses and serving to maintain alignment of therings movingbetween said recesses, the forward one of said recesses opening throughsaid end edge and extending about the cut-out and being deeper than therearward, recess by an amount substantially equaling the thickness ofone of said rings, said recesses'being separated by a step forming aring push-shoulder adapted '7 grooves of shafts and the like, anapplicator comprising a blade-like member having a rigid working endprovided with a shaft-receiving cut-out in its end edge of widthslightly larger than the diameter of the shaft on which ring assembly isto be effected, said working end being provided in one face thereof withtwo communicating recesses of width slightly greater than the diameterof the rings to be assembled, the forward one of said recesses openingthrough said end edge and extending about the cut-out and being deeperthan the rearward recess by an amount substantially equaling thethickness of one of said rings, said recesses being separated by a stepforming a ring push-shoulder adapted to push a ring seated in the deeperforward recess into its shaft groove upon the applicator being pushedagainst the shaft, the side walls of the recesses terminating at theirforward ends in inwardly directed lips which are spaced apart a distanceless than the diameter of the ring being assembled, said lips being alsospaced relatively above the floor of the deeper recess a distanceslightly greater than the axial thickness of one of said rings therebyto provide a ring opening through the'lips whichis ali na with saiddeeper recess, said lips insuring that but a single ring may move fromsaid deeper 'recess 'in the course of each ring assembly operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

